Realm of the Dead (31 page)

The explosion of light rocketed the cavern and released a shockwave that raced in all directions and pummeled all to the ground. The voices of those consumed by the blade soared from captivity. Ethereal bodies glowed as misty winds flew in all directions, screaming, and crying out for revenge. Unleashed from artificial confinement at last, they wailed and enraged, and attacked forces of the Horde that remained in the cavern.

Pandemonium broke out as the unreleased wrath of both Hell and spirits hostile to Lucifer attacked all that swore allegiance to the Devil. The released spirits accosted members of the Horde still fighting and ghosted through their bodies, causing agonizing pain and sending many to their knees in agony. As hornets disturbed, they flew in locust-like swarms everywhere the eye could see, and the soldiers of Lucifer swung at the air in vain to keep the vengeful spirits at bay.

The Sword of the Lord then pointed at Lucifer, who hastily scooted backward to escape. The Prince of Darkness rose and ran, and when he did so, the bow that floated about Yeshua unleashed a nocked arrow that caught the enemy in the rear of his shoulder.

Lucifer cried out in pain, and all watched as Yeshua stalked the mighty cherubim. The Prince of Darkness fell, tripping over his own feet and crawled to flee the presence of the Lord.

The Shekinah manifested around Yeshua and He was brilliant in luminescent radiance. His steps made indentations in the earth as He walked, and the scythe that floated as an electron around the Lord flung itself forward and swung at the feet of the enemy. Lucifer gained his footing, tripped and fell face-first in the dirt. His face crusted with dried blood as the cut above his eye continued to drip. His teeth were coated with blood from his battle with the Lumazi, and he spat the blue plasma from his mouth. His vicious contempt landed at the Lord's feet and their eyes met.

Coughing and wiping blood with the back of his hand, Satan backed away as Yeshua approached him, sword drawn. The righteous dead bore witness as God menacingly walked toward His enemy, ready to strike the final blow. To end the suffering of mankind. Each eye widened as the Sword of the Lord raised to bring to naught, he, who through the power of Death, had kept men in fear; he who through his works sundered Heaven, and rent fellowship between God and Man.

Lucifer looked into Yeshua's eyes and screamed, "I do not fear Oblivion. Strike and show all the power of thy great might, for if thou be the Son of God, show them with the sword what it is to fear God!"

The Lord then raised His blade, Satan lifted his chin in defiance and grimaced, swallowed hard, and closed his eyes in horrifying expectation. The Sword of the Lord reached its apogee, then fell downward, and with bated breath, all waited for the head of Lucifer to fall severed to the ground.

The blade fell a mere hair's breadth from Satan's mouth and hit the heated ground with a 'thunk.' Lucifer felt the wind of the sword's edge cool his face, and when he opened his eyes, Yeshua stood above him in glowing majesty. The Prince of Darkness gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to speak, and the Lord placed His foot atop his face near the base of his neck, cutting him off.

Yeshua then lifted from the folds of His robe, the necklace that carried the keys to Death and Hell and raised them up for all to see.

"Hell...peace, be still!"

The creature immediately stopped its assault on all that indwelt her, and lava flows and tendrils receded into her roof and the beast was calmed. Members of the Horde fell to their knees and laid down their arms, for Yeshua stood atop their leader with the keys of Death and Hell clenched in His fist, raised high for all to see.

The cavern erupted in cheers, and members of the Host hugged one another as cries of victory rang out through the whole of the underworld for in the deep places of the earth, and beyond the sight of mortal men, Yeshua spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly...His foot atop the crushed head of Satan with His fist raised in triumph.

The Lord then spoke for all to hear.

"The battle is over, but the war still rages. For above, my people must continue to undo the works of the Enemy. A word have they been given that upon which the gates of Hell shall not prevail, for, in a few days' time, the sentence of Fire shall be carried out against this one, and upon all who have sought to undo the Father!  And know, oh rebellious house, that I shall return, and when I do, cry woe!  For know then that thine judgment is at hand."

The members of the Lumazi came near to look upon Satan who yet laid under the Lord's foot with bloodied features, gritted teeth, and hissing contempt as they stared at him.

Jerahmeel walked past first, and he lowered himself down to speak to his brother.

"You have an eye that belongs to me. I want it back."  He reached down to gouge Lucifer's eye, but the Lord grabbed his hand.

"If I forbade Peter to draw his sword to protect me, how much more must thou learn this lesson of vengeance?  Stay thy hand, for this one shall have his reward."  The Lord nodded toward Charon who walked toward his triumphant master.

Jerahmeel nodded in obeisance and backed away, and when he did, the Lord reached into the dust and spit into it and placed His hands over Jerahmeel's face, and Jerhameel's eye was restored to its place and he was made whole.

Jerahmeel felt his face and smiled. "I thank you, Lord."

Lucifer laughed, and when he did the Lord pressed harder on his neck, and he became silent once more. A flying spirit flew over across from the Lord and when it landed within Lucifer's sight, the Lord blew His own breath upon the ethereal creature and before the eyes of all, the ghostly apparition changed and solidified, and Gabriel stood before them whole as before. He bowed to the Lord, and the Lord nodded in acknowledgment.  Gabriel rose and walked where Lucifer could see him more clearly, and spoke, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Did you think me so slow, brother, to be caught by thy blow to dissolution?  I but obeyed the King and met with those held prisoner by thy sword, that upon their release they might be convinced to plague thee.  To my surprise, they needed little convincing to plague thee. Imagine their joy when I told them that at the last day they would one day accost thee in flames of fire."  Gabriel then shook his head and walked away.

More of the royal host, and David and Abraham and others stared upon Lucifer, his face still in the dirt.

Michael walked through the crowd and spoke aloud to his brother.

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, that I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; and I will be like the most High. Yet look at you now, brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. And who are these that narrowly look upon thee and consider?"

Turiel then picked up, commenting where Michael had stopped, "Is this the man that made the Earth to tremble, and that shook kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; the one that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

Lucifer squirmed under the sole of the Lord's foot and growled like a trapped animal.

Talus then flew over and looked at his King. The Lord nodded His approval and Talus knelt on one knee to look at Lucifer. He stared into his eyes, and Lucifer tried to look away but Talus would have none of it. He squeezed his cheeks and made him look at him and spoke in authoritative victory as he narrowed his eyes, leaning close for Lucifer to hear. The Lord loosened His foothold so Talus could raise the Adversary's head enough to glare into his eyes. Talus looked at him in defiance and whispered in triumph, "I see four lights."

He then spit on the ground and released him and Lucifer's face fell into the moist earth where Talus had spit.

Yeshua nodded as His son walked away, then raised His voice and spoke to all. "It is time to return home."

The towering figure of Charon then created a shadow over them as he drew closer and he spoke to the Lord.

"Am I alsooo tooo retunnn hommmme?"

The Lord smiled. His eyes grew soft and He shook His head lovingly to curtail His creations disappointment.

"Nay," Yeshua said. "There will be a time that fire, yea even a lake of fire will house this one, and then thou shalt be home to do what thou wast charged to do. Until that day, go to, and arrest those this one made thee release, and return them captive to captivity. And whence I am returned, I will make a home where in the next creation, my vengeance can be fulfilled on this one here."  And the Lord looked at Lucifer crossly when He spoke.

Charon bowed and turned, and as he walked away, the sounds of chains and the smell of fire and ash trailed him as he marched to parts unknown.

Abraham then came to the Lord. "And what of us, my King?"

Yeshua smiled. "It is now time to enter into rest."  And when He spoke, the funnel that Hell had created grew wider and the Lord looked up. And when He did, El and El Pneuma were standing in shining garments and looked down from Heaven.

Then Yeshua shouted up in the hearing of all. "El Pneuma, I am ready."

El Pneuma nodded and spoke one word.

"Resurrection."

And a tremor shook within Hell itself. The righteous dead began to glow, and many looked at their hands as the Shekinah began to overlap all of them. Then in flashes of blinking light, each one rocketed into Heaven through beams of light. Hundreds, then thousands, then billions took to the air in illuminated bursts of light. As rain that fell upward, the people of Paradise emptied and the righteous dead were no more to be seen  in the Underworld.

Michael and the all the Host watched as their human brethren lifted into Heaven and he said, "Come...let us welcome our brothers and sisters home. We have much to celebrate!"  His halo glowed, and Eladrin began to turn twirl in sparkling light, while Nephanos covered the Chief Prince with his body and he rose to return to the realm immortal. The Host also looked to the sky and lifted themselves into the heavenly portal to return home.

Yeshua stood alone, still holding the keys to Death and Hell. Whispered sorrows and old screams still lived there, as well as the unrighteous dead and daemons. He sighed  then whispered one word to Hell. "Feed."

The creature immediately roared to life. Millions of maggots, tendrils and lava burst into the cavern, and the Lord looked up and lifted His foot from off Lucifer's neck. The Adversary coughed, rubbed his throat and struggled to his feet. Yeshua began to fade and be drawn back into the realm of men.

Satan shook a fist and screamed, "We are not done yet Yeshua!"

Lava poured behind Lucifer who stood defiantly watching the rising Lord, ignoring the calamity about him as well as the screams of his own people.

Yeshua smiled as He exited the cavern and replied to His wayward son.

"My child, it was over from the foundation of the world."

The spirit of Yeshua rocketed to the roof of Hell and exploded through the floor of the Earth, racing through rock and crust to join once more to His physical body. The rejoining of body and spirit sent tremors through the earth, and a white-hot column of light flashed over His body, irradiating the area. The inside of the tomb glowed in incandescence, and the Lord's lungs breathed the cool air of the tomb. Blood pumped through His beating heart and coursed through His body. He opened His eyes to see Azaziel standing guard with sword drawn, over him, and the Lord spoke through the linen shroud. "It is good to see you, my friend. A faithful son thou hast been."

Azaziel blinked as his eyes adjusted to the great flash of light that heralded the Lord's return, and a full-faced smile erupted as he helped the Lord to His feet.

*   *   *

Azaziel had waited patiently for the Lord to return, standing as a silent sentry over the human body of his master. His eyes pierced the physical confines of the sealed tomb to the brethren who stood guard outside. The sun would rise soon.

Suddenly an earthquake rocked the region and the inside of the tomb glowed in brilliant incandescence.  The head of House Issi covered his eyes. The body of the Lord shone as a star, the light of which breached the contours of the boulder rolled in front of the tomb's entrance, and burned through the sealed ropes that lined the stone. Angelic guards stared at the epicenter that came from inside the tomb. 

Cassiel revealed himself and came down in a great light in front of the sealed tomb. Roman guards struggled to keep their balance on the rumbling ground, watched the stone roll away, and fainted in fright. Azaziel blinked repeatedly to dismiss splotches of blues and morphing shapes that danced across his eyelids.

Cassiel noticed the Lord's chest rose and fell. His lungs breathed in the cool air of the tomb as blood began to circulate through His resurrected system and color slowly returned to the body of the Lord. His fingers moved, and the linen covered head turned toward Azaziel. He spoke through the shroud. "It is good to see thee, my friend. A faithful son thou hast been."

Smiles wreathed his face as he helped the Lord sit up and tenderly removed the cloth from His face.

"Your plan? The keys and righteous dead...are they well?" Azaziel said.

The Lord opened His hands where the open wounds of His nail scars still remained, and within His right palm lay the two recaptured keys of Death and Hell.

Azaziel gasped in joy. Onlooking angels beamed at one another and bowed to their King.

Azaziel helped the Lord to His feet, steadying his King as His body returned to full function and they exited the tomb. The sun broke over the horizon...the dawn of the first day of the week, and Yeshua and His guards laughed and strolled the surrounding countryside.

"My Lord," Azaziel said, "thou hast breached the stronghold of the Enemy and spoiled his house. What wilt thou do now?"

Yeshua looked at him and replied, "There is yet much to be done, for an army of men must be raised to undo that which Satan hath done. The final battle is yet to come. Even now in Heaven thou wilt have many new siblings and there are even more that I must being into my Fathers house, but for now, come, I must shew myself to my disciples and gather my sheep into the sheepfold. Take me to them." 

Yeshua then masked them all in invisibility, and Azaziel then lifted his King into his strong arms and flew off with the angelic royal guard trailing them.

Yeshua, seeing two of His female disciples walking toward the tomb, commanded two of the angelic guard stay at the tomb to bring glad tidings to them. Women who were moments from a discovery that would soon change the course of mankind.

*   *   *

Now after forty days of showing Himself in infallible proofs in the course of time, the Lord called His disciples together, and they asked Him, saying, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 

And He said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon thee: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

And when He had spoken these things, they beheld as He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Azaziel watched the men and noted that they looked steadfastly into heaven as He went up, and given leave by the Lord, the angel revealed himself to the disciples.

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Yeshua, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."

And when they heard those words, they were quick to be about the Lord's business, and Azaziel watched them depart, knowing the war had turned and in the resurrection of the Lord, he saw the death throes of the war, and that the final push of righteous men had now begun.

The End